Cotton-seed huller



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P. McDERMOTT. COTTON SEED HULLER.

No. 281,902. Patented July 24, 1883.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. P. MQDERMOTT; COTTON SEED HULLER.

(No Model.)

Patented July 24, 1883.

WITNESSES e.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK MCDERMOTT, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

COTTON-SEED HULLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,902, dated July 24, 1883,

Application filed April 11, 1853. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK McDERMoTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Hulling Cotton-Seed, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of cottonseed hullers in which a central revolving cylinder is employed in connection with a concave permanently attached to the inside of the case of the machine.

My invention consists in a cutting-cylinder having adjustable and removable knives and adjustable and removable weights, whereby it is made susceptible of very delicate balancing, as hereinafter more fully explained.

It also consists of a case having a longitudinal slot for the passage of the central shaft, and of a hinged table or support for balancing the cylinder after it is removed. This shaft band encircling the backs of the knives, as hereinafter described.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a front elevation of myimproved huller. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the cuttingeylinder removed from the case, with a portion of the same broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical.

transverse section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 5 isan elevation of a portion of one of the end pieces, showing details to be hereinafter described.

A A represent the end pieces, which are held in their proper positions by tie-rods K, and

provided with horizontal slots F to permit of the ready insertion or removal of the cylinder. One section of the j ournal-boX E is formed in one with or securely attached to the case A, and the other is formed in a like manner with a plate, G, which covers the slot F 5 or, if preferred, it may be formed separately therefrom.

The cutting roll or cylinder B is made of hollow cylindrical form, mounted on shaft (1, and formed on its exterior, at uniform intervals, with longitudinal ribs B, to which are secured by bolts a, working in slots r in said ribs, adjustable cutters c, the space between the successive cutters being covered by a plate, 0, secured to the tops of ribs B- by screws a, whose heads are sunk in said plates. On the interior of the cylinder are any desired number of removable balancing-weights, 111, adjustable to and from the axis of said cylinder on screw-threaded spindles Z, said weights being held in any position to which they may be set by jam-nuts 1;. These spindles Zare made slightly less in length than the depth of the interior portions of the hollow cylinder B, and are provided with socket-nuts 10 upon their inner ends. These nuts may be countersunk in those portions of the cylinder against which they hear. The spindles Z are also provided with collars l for the more conveniently operating them with a wrench. It will be seen by this arrangement that the nut 10 may be screwed upon the spindle Z, and the said spindle, with the weight m, may be removed. The jamnuts 12 also prevent the weights from changing their position when the cylinder is revolving at a high speed. By these means the cylinder is made susceptible of very delicate balancing.

For determining the balanced condition of the cylinder, I place on either end of the ma chine a supporting-table, D, hinged at d, and having leg D hinged at d. When the table is in position for use, as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the arm D is horizontal and its upper edge flush with the lower part of the slot F, thus forming a continuation thereof, and its leg D vertical, or nearly so, with its end resting on the floor. The arm D being exactly level, it will be seen that when the cylinder is rolled out, if it is not exactly balanced, it will roll until the heavy side is down. Its accurate balancing may then be effected by means of the weights m. When not in use the table may occupy the position shown in Fig. 4.

The concave in connection with which the 2 esineee cutting-edges concentric with the axis of the the cylinder can be rolled out.

cylinder, and are adjusted to and from said cylinder through the medium of jam-nuts 1?, working on screw-threaded portions u of the holders or dogs a, one 011 either side of fixed lugs s on the case .A. The knives are held from deflection by means of wedge-shaped strips (1, which are jammed tightly between them-by set-screw 6, having bearings in a circular band, 0, whose upper end is turned in at right angles to the periphery and whose lower end is bolted to a plate, 6, passing out through the ends of the case A. In order to prevent he set-screws from sinking in the wooden wedges, I secure to their faces metallic plates j.

M is a hinged apron covering the hopper, and provided with an upright, 1), having a hollow boss, through which a rod, q, passes at right angles to the upright, said'rod being adjustable by means of set-screw c. Mounted on the rod 1 is a weight, 0, which is also adjustable by means of set-screw 0. By adjusting the rod q or weight 0, orboth, any desired amount of pressure may be applied to the apron for regulating the quantity of seed fed to the machine. Thus, if the seed is fed from the chute K into the hopper in a sufficient quantity, the weighted apron will confine it within said hopper; but if the supply be in excess of the capacity of the machine the press ure under the apron will raise it and allow the surplus seed to escape.

The back part ofthe machine is protected by a removable plate, L, the lower part being confined by lugs It and the upper part made circular, hinged at g, and held by studs 2, tapped into tie-rod K. By removing this plate L Being hinged at g, the plate L can be folded and more easily handled.

By reason of the stationary knives being located in the front of the machine and the cylinder removable from the back, the danger of the knives being injured by contact is avoided.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a cotton-seed huller, the cylinder provided with slotted ribs, as described, the cut ting-knives adjustable on said ribs, and the bolts moving in the slots of the ribs for securing the knives in any desired position, as set forth. 4

2. I11 a cotton-seed huller, a cutting-cylinder, B, having removable threaded spindles I, collars Z, removable balancing-weights m, adjustable on the spindles, j am-nuts c, and seeket-nuts 20, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with the cylinder of a cotton-seed huller, of a concave consisting of a series of adjustable cutting-knives, interposed wooden wedges, set-screws for operat ing said wedges, the metallic band encircling the backs of the said knives, having its upper end inturned, and a suitable retaining-plate for its lower end, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4:. The combination, with .the cylinder of a cottonseed huller, of a series of stationary knives, set-screws a", malleable-iron dogs 0, having screw-threaded portions a, and jan1- nuts 2, adapted tower]: on either side of the fixed lugs 3, whereby the knives maybe adj usted to and from the cylinder and secured, substantially as set forth.

5. In a cotton-seed huller, the end pieces, A, provided with the rods K, journal-boxes E, slots F, and plates G, in combination with the hinged table I), having legs I), substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with thehopper ofa cotton-seed huller, of a hinged apron, M, provided with an upright, having a hollow boss, a rod, q, set-serew 0, weight 0, and sctscrew c, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

PATRICK MoDIERllIOTI.

\Vi tnesses:

H A RRY Hansn, FRANK B LoMnnue. 

